Finishing Lent Strong
I noticed that my two middle school aged sons had transformed the palm leaves handed to them when entering Mass into “Palm Crosses.” I asked why they always make crosses out of the palms on Palm Sunday? The reply was one that got me thinking about Holy Week...

Report Cites Fewer Sex Abuse Cases in US
Numbers relating to the sexual abuse of minors by clergy are at the lowest they've been since 2004, and most allegations in 2009 were regarding earlier decades. This is one of the positive trends reported in the 2009 annual report on compliance with the U.S. bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People...

Prom Dress Trends for 2010 is "Slutty Chic"
Where's Molly Ringwald when you need her? We'd take a butchered pink polka-dot sack any day over the latest trend to hit the prom-dress circuit: "slutty chic"...

9 Charged with Bullying Teen who Hanged Herself
Insults and threats followed 15-year-old Phoebe Prince almost from her first day at South Hadley High School, targeting the Irish immigrant in the halls, library and in vicious cellphone text messages...

NBC's Minute to Win It
We are always trying to think up new games to use in our ministry. NBC has done a great thing for youth pastors! The new game show Minute to Win It has between 60 and 70 doable games that can be used as youth ministry crowd breakers...

Baptism Water Rosary Photo

30 Habits that Will Change your Life
Developing good habits is the basic of personal development and growth. Everything we do is the result of a habit that was previously taught to us. Unfortunately, not all the habits that we have are good, that’s why we are constantly trying to improve...

Home is Where Your Pew Is
What the Hendersons lacked in faith, they made up for in punctuality. Every Sunday at 10:52AM they arrived in the parking lot of St. Primrose Catholic Church. By arriving eight minutes before Mass they were guaranteed to get the best parking space in the lot: the one in the back, closest to the exit.

National Coalition for the Protection of Families and Children e-brief
E-brief is a free electronic newsletter from the National Coalition. The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you up-to-date with the National Coalition’s current work, as well as the latest news on sexual ethics that affect children and families. Sign up today to receive this email directly to your inbox!

Day In the Life of a Priest

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World Youth Day 2010
The World Youth Day letter from the Pope has been released. The Vatican site does not have the English translation but Vatican Information Service has provided extracts...

It's not a Business, it's a Relationship
No red flags were waved, no sirens were sounded, and no one pulled me aside to sit me down and warn me. The day I answered God’s call to full time youth ministry I really had no clue what I was getting myself into...

Chile to celebrate 'churchless' Holy Week after earthquake
Numerous bishops in Chile are reporting on the amount of damage that many of the churches in the country are facing following the February 27 earthquake. Nearly 90 percent of Chile’s churches have been damaged or destroyed, including many historic national monuments...

The Bridegroom

Remember to Pray More with Echo Prayer Manager

Candidate Takes on Planned Parenthood
This is a pretty telling ad right now to gauge where the country is right now. This is honestly the first time I've ever heard a GOP candidate for federal office take on Planned Parenthood in an ad. Colorado Senate candidate Jane Norton is proclaiming proudly in her ad that she defunded Planned Parenthood. You know...

Despite Her Pain, She Choose Life
The video below is a very moving story about a child who was conceived as the result of a rape. But his mother, despite her pain chose life. She brought him to term and the child, Ryan, was adopted by a large family of what became 13 Children, 10 of them adopted. It is thought by...

What Little Children Can Teach Us About Prayer
When it comes to our struggle in prayer there are some things that we need to unlearn. For too many private prayer is often a formal, even stuffy affair that drips of boredom and unnecessary formality and has lots of rules. Perhaps we learned some of our lessons too well. And yet many of the youngest...

Taking Prayer Off My To-Do List
Jesus told us, “Wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” And the Catechism tells us that the distractions we face in prayer “reveal to us what we are attached to.” (CCC 2729) So what am I attached to these days? More often than not, it’s not loving God, but being productive...

Javalleluia
What if Starbucks marketed themselves like a church?

Christ, Christ, Baby

Sex and Cell Phones: Protect Your Children
In the past, churches, religious institutions, schools, and even the entertainment industry complemented the role of parents and families by delivering consistent messages about integrity and responsibility. Over time, however, many of these structures within our culture have challenged parents’ values and beliefs...

Why You Should Read Every Book in the Bible
Imagine you're in heaven, praising the Lord with all your voice and all your strength. A cacophony of harmonies and symphonies of every instrument imaginable grows louder and louder as the voices of all the saints and angels crescendo into a glorious, "Hallelujah!" Then...

People Like the Idea of Change, Just not Change Itself
Facebook changed their layout... again. This is the 6th time or so they've done so. And without a doubt, there is a public outcry every time. But good leaders know they have to make changes despite the public's initial outcry.

Former Olympic Speed Skater has No Regrets
A former U.S. Olympic speed skater is now a Franciscan sister and says she has "no regrets" about her decision to commit to a life of service to God and the poor.

A Love Story

The Lords of the Dance...?